The Americans Have Complained Bitterly Of The Want Of
English Sympathy, And I Think They Have Been Weak In Making That
Complaint.
But I would not wish that they should hereafter have
the power of complaining of a want of English justice.
There can
be no doubt that a genuine feeling of patriotism was aroused
throughout the North and West, and that men rushed into the ranks
actuated by that feeling, men for whom war and army life, a camp
and fifteen dollars a month; would not of themselves have had any
attraction. It came to that, that young men were ashamed not to go
into the army. This feeling of course produced coercion, and the
movement was in that way tyrannical. There is nothing more
tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.
During the period of enlistment this tyranny was very strong. But
the existence of such a tyranny proves the passion and patriotism
of the people. It got the better of the love of money, of the love
of children, and of the love of progress. Wives who with their
bairns were absolutely dependent on their husbands' labors, would
wish their husbands to be at the war. Not to conduce, in some
special way, toward the war; to have neither father there, nor
brother nor son; not to have lectured, or preached, or written for
the war; to have made no sacrifice for the war, to have had no
special and individual interest in the war, was disgraceful.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 276 of 538
Words from 73503 to 73755
of 143277
